Albert Coombe was born in Melksham in 1846 and baptised on 10th April, son of Joseph Coombe (1805-1865) and Mary Scott (1820-1894). He married Mary Ward of Holsworthy, Devon, on 21st May 1872 in Melksham. Albert's father was a clockmaker and tinman, but Albert started out working as a grocer's shop boy in the 1860's, later becoming a grocer himself working with his mother as grocer & bacon factor in the Market Place after the death of his father. By 1870 his grocer's is an agency for the Phoenix Fire Assurance Company. From as early as 1873 he was in partnership with the Soda Water maker Benjamin Shaul, however, this partnership was dissolved on or around the 10th May 1878 when the announcement appeared in the papers. Shaul was a confectioner who had been in the Soda Water business since 1861.
Albert remained as a grocer, draper and soda water manufacturer in the Market Place (1881 census), however the Soda Water works had moved from Bank Street to "The Ark", a former cloth industry site, by 1879. Albert & Mary had at least 5 children: Joseph Arscott Coombe (1873), Mary Maud Coombe (1874), Annie Grace Coombe (1877), Lucy Gertrude Coombe (1879), Cecil Ward Coombe (1886), but sadly many did not last long. Cecil died soon after birth, Mary Maud died in 1881 aged 7, and Annie Grace died in 1888 aged 11. Mary, Albert's mother died in 1894 aged 75. She had been a constant partner in the Grocery part of the business. It is clear that Joseph Arscott Coombe became the "& Son" part of the business of A. Coombe & Son, Mineral Water Manufacturers, and this was added to the bottles.
Albert died in Melksham on 25th Feb. 1902 leaving his estate to Mary his widow, and his son Joseph, who carried on the Mineral Water business. Joseph married Clara Priscilla Parker on 16th Jan. 1896 in Melksham. They had 2 daughters, Beryl (1897) and Phyllis (1891). Joseph was initiated into the Chaloner Masonic Lodge in Melksham on 19th March 1897. Joseph died in Eastbourne on 8th December 1950, leaving his estate to his widow, and Harold Gluyas Mason, Solicitor.
In its later years the firm were great rivals of A. J. Taylor & Co. of Chippenham, to the extent that Melksham youth were known as Coombses and vice versa.
|
| 3 Gallon Stone Jar |  |
| Front Printed: KEEP WELL
STOPPERED / A. COOMBE & SON / BREWED GINGER BEER / MELKSHAM /
ANY PERSON ILLEGALLY USING OR DAMAGING / THIS JAR WILL BE
PROSECUTED. Potter: Powell, Bristol. Int. Screw Stopper. |
| 1 & 2 Gallon Stone Jar |   |
| Front Printed: KEEP WELL
STOPPERED / A. COOMBE & SON / BREWED GINGER BEER / MELKSHAM /
ANY PERSON ILLEGALLY USING OR DAMAGING / THIS JAR WILL BE
PROSECUTED. Potter: Price, Bristol. Int. Screw Stopper. Thorne`s Patent simplex tap grip. 1 gal image courtesy of M. Squires. |
| 2 Gallon Stone Jar |  |
| Front Printed: KEEP WELL
STOPPERED / A. COOMBE & SON / BREWED GINGER BEER / MELKSHAM /
ANY PERSON ILLEGALLY USING OR DAMAGING / THIS JAR WILL BE
PROSECUTED. Potter: Powell, Bristol. Int. Screw Stopper. |
| Stone Ginger beer Bottles |  |
| GINGER BEER / A. COOMBE
& SON / TRADE (AC) MARK / MELKSHAM. (in shield shape) 20.3cm (8") high. Potter: Price & Powell variations, Bristol. Also version with rim around base of lip. Int. Screw Stopper. |
| Stone Ginger beer Bottle (fragment) |  |
| GINGER BEER / A. COOMBE
& SON / TRADE (AC) MARK / MELKSHAM. (in shield shape) Two tone glaze. Possibly Crown Cap stopper. |
| 6 & 10oz Chapmans Patent Bottle |     |
| ALBERT
COOMBE / TRADE (AC) MARK / MELKSHAM. 18.4cm (7.25") & 21.6cm
(8.5") high. CHAPMANS / PATENT / BALL / STOPPER / BIRKENHEAD
(Weighted rubber ball inside bottle, but often replaced with wooden
or porcelain bullet stoppers). Some have cross on base, some number 481, some blank. Makers: J. W. DOBSON / MAKERS / BARNSLEY. |
| 6 & 10oz Bullet Stoppers |   |
| ALBERT
COOMBE / TRADE (AC) MARK / MELKSHAM. 18.4cm (7.25") & 21.5cm
(8.5") high. CHAPMANS / PATENT / BALL / STOPPER / BIRKENHEAD on reverse of 10oz. (right) Variation with rubber ball, Kilner Bros., makers Conisboro, 3416 on base, patent on reverse,(second left). 10oz A. COOMBE & SON variation, no patent, Powell Bristol. (far left). Image right all A. COOMBE & SON, Powell manufacture, Bristol,10oz has wooden stopper, 6oz to the right of it has aqua glass stopper. |
| 10oz Bullet Stopper |  |
| ALBERT COOMBE / TRADE (AC)
MARK / MELKSHAM. 21.6cm (8.5") high. Makers: Nuttall & Co., St. Helen's, (rival of Cannington-Shaw). |
| 6 & 10oz Bullet Stoppers |  |
| (left) 10oz ALBERT COOMBE
/ TRADE (AC) MARK / MELKSHAM. 21.6cm (8.5") high. Early CHAPMANS /
PATENT / BALL / STOPPER / BIRKENHEAD on reverse. Rubber ball,
Cannington Shaw, makers, St. Helens. 6oz A. COOMBE & SON variation, no patent, white glass bullet. Maker P.& R. B.(centre). 10oz A. COOMBE & SON variation with aqua glass bullet & long lip. No makers name. (right). |
| 6 & 10oz Bullet Stopper |    |
| Stencil
Etched: A. CO(O)MBE & SON/ AC & SON / MELKSHAM. 1932 on base of 10oz. 22.3cm (8.8") & 17.2cm (6.8") high. Some have spelling error with "O" missing (right image). |
| 6oz Flat Bottomed Hamilton Bottle |  |
| ALBERT COOMBE / & SON/
(AC) / MELKSHAM / TRADE MARK. 17.8cm (7") high. |
| 6oz Hamilton Bottles |  |
| ALBERT COOMBE / (AC) /
MELKSHAM / TRADE MARK. 7" long. Also ALBERT COOMBE / & SON/ (AC) / MELKSHAM / TRADE MARK. 19cm (7.5") long. |
| 6 & 10oz Codd Bottles |  |
| A. COOMBE & SON /
TRADE (AC) MARK / MELKSHAM. "BEAVIS
SHAPE", Powell & Ricketts makers, Bristol. 22.3cm (8.8") & 19.7cm (7.8") high. (left & Right) Also 10oz standard shape, C on base, no makers. 23.1cm (9.1") high. (centre). |
| Pint & Half Pint Beer Bottles |    |
| A.
COOMBE & SON / HOP / BITTER / BEER / MELKSHAM / TRADE MARK. Half pint version (right) re-used and etched on reverse GLOBE CO. / DEWSBURY, this bottle was dug near Halifax, Yorks. 20.3cm (8") & 24.8cm (9.8") high. Makers: P. & R. B.(Powell & Ricketts, Bristol). |
| Pint Lemonade Bottle |  |
| A. COOMBE & SON /
MELKSHAM. Int. screw stopper. Powell Bristol. 25.4cm (10") high. |
| Soda Syphon & Pint Lemonade Bottles. |   |
| All clear glass. (left) A. COOMBE & SON LTD. (Around base) AC intertwined in circle on back & front of shoulder. Int. screw stopper. 26.7cm (10.5") high. (Right) A. COOMBE & SON / AC / MELKSHAM. Makers F.G.C., 25.4cm (10") high. (Centre) Syphon, Etched: A. COOMBE & SON / HIGH CLASS / TABLE WATERS / MELKSHAM. Bulwark Manufacturing Co. London. Also faceted version, British Syphon Co, London, paper label: COOMBE'S / SPA ROAD, MELKSHAM / SODA WATER. also EST 1861 and TEL 3135. |
| Crown Cap Fruit Juice Bottles. |    |
| A.
COOMBE & SON / TRADE (AC) MARK / MELKSHAM. 19.7cm (7.8") & 21.3cm (8.4") high, clear & aqua glass. Some have squared off lips. All clear glass ones have F. G. C. on base (Forster Glass Co., St. Helen's 1902-1966). |
| Blob top mineral/mixer bottle. |  |
| Embossed lengthwise: A.
COOMBE & SON / MELKSHAM Makers: likely Powell & Ricketts, Bristol, Dark Green. Height: 19cm (7.5"). |